lights in Christmas Tree panel
 

Have a friend making the Panel and she was wondering if you can use small grommets to put the lights in or do you just make a hole for them. The panel is from Northcott and made into a wall quilt. They are so nice.

I think there was thread on this maybe last winter. Maybe buttonholes?

I purchased some tiny rubber grommets. I didn't want any chances of the fabric fraying.

I've done it with button holes - on a Christmas tree Advent Calendar i made a few years ago....worked great. Also put a pocket on the back to hold the battery pack as my lights were the battery powered kind. So...either would work.

My machine has an eyelet stitch which creates a thread grommet, then you use a little orange handled punch to take the material out of the center. The punch came with my machine.

what a great idea to put the pocket

Glad to read this thread as my DD purchased the panel. Nice ideas.

I noticed this year many fabric manufacturers have come out with these Xmas panels. I guess if it sells, they will make them.

I would make the eyelets on the machine. To me that would be much easier. Seems like every time I need grommets or snaps, the first few go in nicely and the last one screws up and makes me angry.LOL

When I bought the lights for my Celebration panel, the vendor said to make 1/4" eyelets to put the lights in. I don't have any kind of a punch to open up the holes, so I made some practice eyelets and will use those to figure out the best way to cut. He also suggested using a little bit of Fray Check around the eyelets.

I did the same thing with my Solar System hanging, had enough fabric to slide the battery pack in. Used brass grommets for the holes.

Tree lights
 

I also have this panel to make, one of the dealers suggested to make a small loop of elastic on the back near each hole for the lights. You thread the light through the elastic then into the hole and that will support some of the wires in the back instead of all the light wires just hanging.

I haven't been able to find the lights...made mine after this past Christmas....Does anyone know where I can get the battery lights?? Appreciate anyone's help...thanks

Wait a couple of months. You'll be able to find them everywhere after Halloween. Lol.